Australian long-duration battery hopeful secures US patent for “game-changing” storage chemistry

New South Wales based energy storage start-up Allegro Energy says it has been granted a US patent for its “cutting-edge “game-changing” micro-emulsion electrolyte technology, a step which the company hopes positions it as a global leader in long-duration energy storage.

The Newcastle-based Allegro Energy was founded in 2021 and has developed its own redox flow battery technology, made from abundant materials, and a supercapacitor made from a water-based electrolyte which is non-flammable, cheaper to make, and safer than competing technologies.

Allegro believes that its modular micro-emulsion electrolyte system is a “game-changer” for the energy storage industry as it claims it can “significantly” expand the electrochemical stability window, enhancing energy density while also maintaining affordability and increased levels of safety.

Allegro’s micro-emulsion technology is capable of dissolving a wide range of electrochemically active species while still maintaining stability at high voltages. This had previously acted as a major barrier to the adoption of aqueous electrolytes in advanced energy storage.

Importantly, Allegro’s micro-emulsion technology is applicable to multiple battery formats, including lithium-ion, sodium-ion, magnesium-ion, and aluminium-ion batteries, as well as supercapacitors and redox flow batteries.

Continuing in its bid to become a global leader in long-duration energy storage, Allegro announced on Tuesday that it had been granted a US patent for its micro-emulsion technology. This follows previous patents granted in Europe and several other key markets.

“The US patent reinforces Allegro’s ability to deliver a truly global and transformative solution for long-duration energy storage,” said Dr. Thomas Nann, CEO and co-founder of Allegro Energy.

“With energy storage playing a crucial role in the renewable transition, our micro-emulsion platform ensures scalability and adaptability across a range of battery chemistries, from redox flow to advanced ion batteries.”

The announcement comes six months after Allegro secured $17.5 million in Series A funding, which was led by climate investor Jeremy Grantham’s foundation in the United States, and included local Australian investors such as Origin, Melt Ventures, and Impact Ventures.

 Allegro Energy is also planning its first gigafactory which it hopes would be capable of manufacturing enough clean energy storage to “viably bring forward the closure of fossil fuel power stations and reduce the cost of energy for everyone.”

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